


The Intern

by Lajoco712



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26277886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lajoco712/pseuds/Lajoco712
Summary: The newest intern of Giant Goldfish Publishing thinks Poppylan is beautiful. Only one problem.. so does the Tiger of Ares Street.
Relationships: Quincey Balthuman/Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 4
Kudos: 72





	The Intern

The afternoon was cheerful as Poppy typed away at her desk. Quincey sat across from her twirling a pink feather pen. Tora stood off to the side in his usual corner by the window. The smoke from his most recent cigarette finding its exit with the afternoon breeze. The office was busier than usual today. Gil had just gotten back from another business trip. Erdene and Jacob were going over the reports for tomorrow's meeting. In the center of all of this sat Sam Giant Goldfish’s newest intern. Twenty Three years of age and very single. He had met the majority of the office staff but butterflies had appeared the day he met Poppylan. He kept himself busy in the office. Today his assignment was to organize chapters that still needed editing. Sam kept his head down but every so often his eyes wandered over to Poppy. The way her wavy brown hair sat on her shoulders, or how the sun seemed to always be shining in her corner of the room. Sam’s eyes traveled further along her curves before locking eyes with the tall man in the corner. Tora’s expression leaving little to guess other than “fucking try me”.

“There! I think that covers it for this chapter!” Poppy cheerful as always turned her laptop around for Quincey to read over her work. Her light clapping broke the staring match between the two men. Find the courage to ask her out Sam thought to himself. He rocked back and forth in his seat slowly. Glancing anxiously at his watch. It was almost lunch time, surely she was hungry. The men she was with had been at her desk since 8 this morning. Sam stood up quickly and walked with as much confidence as he could. “Excuse me Miss. Poppylan?” “Oh hey Sam what's up did you need something?” “I was wondering if you had lunch plans today? I know it's close to the time that you usually go and just figured maybe I could take you out.” Poppy’s face had gone blank. Quincey’s mouth hung slightly agape at the audacity of the young man before him. Not over his love for Poppylan but for the bravery of asking her out in front of Tora. Poppy had paused briefly before looking over towards Tora who had just thrown his cigarette out the window. Her expression to him pleading with him to stay put. Tora paused at her facial expression, his arms crossed and his lips mouthing one simple word. NO. 

“Uhm that is so kind of you Sam but we actually have a lot to catch up on here”. “Come on just a quick bite the guys can come too if that would make you feel better. I know one of the best joints in Narin City for a sandwich”. Poppy once again prepared to shake her head no before Quincey eagerly chimed in “Actually I would love to take a break. Go to lunch Poppy, Tora and I have a quick errand to run. We will be back in an hour or so.” A sympathetic grin took over Poppy’s face as she nodded to Quincey and turned to Sam. “Okay sure I guess we can go”. “What the fuck Quinceton?” The annoyance in Tora’s voice was now the most prominent thing in the room. “It's almost one in the afternoon. I don't see you rushing around to feed her.” Quincey responded with a flick of his hand dismissing any negativity Tora had to give. Poppy stood and prepared to get her purse before she heard. “Come over here”. The whole group now turned to Tora whose expression had only grown more annoyed at the situation. Quincey smiled before pointing towards himself. “Not you. Her.” Poppy slowly squeezed her way through Sam and Quincey. Her gaze traveled up Tora’s torso before being met with a pair of golden amber eyes. “You okay?” was Poppy’s attempt to calm him down. “Here you go”. Tora pulled out his wallet before handing her a crisp fifty dollar bill.

“I have money” Poppy’s tone came off more defiant than she had intended. “I know. But I want to buy you lunch so here you go. It's not optional”. Tora then turned to Sam “Be back here in one hour”. “Uhhh sure bro whatever works for you.” “I am not your bro” Poppy rolled her eyes before kindly walking towards Sam and motioning to the elevators. She could feel Tora’s gaze watching her leave. The final glimpse of his unhappiness as the elevator doors began to close. “So he like your boyfriend or something?” “Uhm he's something” Poppy responded plainly. The conversation of her and Tora’s relationship was not something she was interested in. She found the topic a painful memory when she thought of the conversation from only weeks ago in Tora’s Kitchen. His life in the mafia left little to no room for her. The dangers of the mob were not something he could put her at risk with. That didn't stop the moments they shared together. How his hand had wandered across the table to find hers. The disappointment of that day and having to push her feelings away for him lingering closer to the surface now.

“So what's this lunch spot?” Sam could see the fake smile she was putting out. Damn she was really hung up on dude. Getting her attention would be harder than he planned. “Little cafe around this corner. You’ll love it, we can sit outside and everything.” The rest of the lunch had been eventless but pleasant as they talked about work, weather, and how hard finding apartments was in the city. Poppy was surprised how much she had enjoyed the company. Before looking down at her phone to see they were over half an hour late getting back from lunch. “Crap Sam we gotta go we’re late!” 

Where are you?? The text message from Tora in bold black letters. “Poppy wait for me!” Yelled Sam as she jogged down the sidewalk to her office building. The elevator doors opened and to Poppy’s surprise Quincey, Tora, Erdene, and Jacob were crowded around her desk. “I’m sorry I’m late everyone, just lost track of the time.” “All good Pops I have the files ready for the meeting tomorrow whenever you're ready.” Erdene smiled kindly before placing the files down. She ushered Jacob away quickly from the group. “How was lunch?” Quincey asked his expression now filled with humor. Tora however sat in his corner. The window once again opened and accompanied by the fumes of his cigarette. “Tora I just lost track of time. I’m sorry” He ignored her for a few moments before finally saying. “I think we need to talk about this later.” “Quincey I need to leave, I have somewhere I need to be.” “Bobby I will stop by your place tonight, you gonna be around or do you have a dinner date too?” “T-Toraa it was not a date?!” But he was no longer listening as he walked away. 

Later in the evening.

7:30 that night rolled around and there was the Tiger of Ares street. Knocking on the door of a girl who gave him feelings he hardly understood. He wore a dark pair of blue jeans, and a black t shirt. Her favorite outfit as she had once told him. He knocked twice before the door swung open to reveal Poppy. An oven mitt on one hand as she threw up a quick wave before rushing back to her kitchen. “What ya makin?” “Stuffed chicken I thought you would appreciate dinner seeing how lunch didn't go as planned.” “Right” Poppy watched him as he rolled his eyes with his last response. He stood at her bookshelf tracing the spines of the books that weren’t turned around. “Dinner is almost ready, just take a seat.”  
Tora examined the room more carefully than he had the first time he was here. It was messier today. Random articles of clothing lay scattered on her floor. Out of the corner of his eye in a basket by her bed something familiar caught his eye. His jacket? He walked over and pulled it from the basket. It was obvious that she had been wearing it to sleep, small traces of her makeup could be found on parts of the hood. “Ahem” Tora smirked before turning to face her now standing with her hands on each hip. She had been quiet in placing their dinner on the table. Or he had been too focused on his thoughts of her wearing something of his to bed. “I was going to return that to you, but I needed to wash it first”. “It's okay Bobby ya can keep it if ya want” Poppy’s face didn't give much away at his response. She simply motioned to the dinner at the table and sat down waiting. “You said we needed to talk about this later. It's later”. “How was lunch?” “Lunch was fine. We talked about the weather.” “Sounds like a waste of time.” “Tora if you are jealous then just say so. But you don't want to be with me so I don't feel sorry for going to lunch with a coworker”. “He's not thinkin about ya like a coworker. You don't see the way he looks at you.” Poppy stared Tora down. His eyes had hardened at her indifference to the situation. She Frowned before looking away in defeat. 

“What do you want me to do?” “What do you mean?” “What do I mean? I mean if someone asks me out on a date, do you want me to say yes or no?” She crossed her arms as she waited for his answer. This was not a question he had anticipated. “Well?” “I want you to say no.” “But yet you don't want to be with me?” Silence had filled the room. Tora sighed. For the first time since meeting her, she was finally going to get him to say it out loud. “I want you more than anything”.  
“But you don't understand what my world is like. What it could be like for you.” “Tora I don't care about the mafia, or whatever you think is going to happen. I want this with you. I want you to come over for dinner. I want to be able to go to work and not have to see you sulking because of this.” “We can do this. I’m willing to try if you are.” 

Poppy stood and walked to her balcony door. The moon now in the sky as she stepped out onto her balcony. Tora’s foot prints closing in behind her. One of his arms coming around her side to pull her backwards against his chest. She could feel her heart beating faster as it always did when he was around. “I’m scared of this.” He managed to whisper to her. “Be scared of being without this more, Sam is no threat.” “It's not about the dork in ya office. It's about me trying to do right by ya.” “You don't think you treat me right?” “I’m not saying that. I’m saying that this isn't exactly something where I can guarantee you an easy life.” Poppy smiled up at him as she turned around. She took one of his hands before giving it a small kiss. “As long as its a life with you I'm happy.” Tora thought carefully trying to think of something to say. But the moment had been perfect. She wanted him, she didn't care about the craziness of his life or his past. He bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek. “Come on Bobby Chickens getting cold, oh and don't forget to tell your coworker that if he ever tries to take you out for lunch again. Your new boyfriend will kick his ass”.

The End.


End file.
